Lesson 10 The loss of the Titanic 内容鉴赏

Lesson 10 The loss of the Titanic

1. What would have happened if only two of the sixteen watertight compartments had been flooded?

相信很多朋友会问, would have happened 和 had been flooded 间究竟有着什么样的对应关系, 其实它们间的关系不难理解, 是这样的: would have done 是对过去情况的虚拟, 这里 what would have happened 意为"(过去)会发生什么"; 在if引导的条件状语从句中, "在16个密封舱中只有2个进水"这一动作在时间上应发生在作者提问 what would have happened 之前——即先有密封舱进水, 再有对在这种情况下会发生的事情的提问. 如此一来, 密封舱进水发生在过去时间节点 what would have happened 之前, 所以用过去完成时来描述"密封舱进水"的动作. '

译: 如果16个密封舱只有2个进水, 那么会发生什么?

2. The great ship, Titanic, sailed for New York from Southampton on April 10th, 1912. She was carrying 1,316 passengers and a crew of 891. Even by modern standards, the 46,000 ton Titanic was a colossal ship.

the great ship, Titanic 巨轮"泰坦尼克"号.

sailed for New York from Southampton 从南安普敦起航驶向纽约.

she 指代 the Titanic, 含感情色彩.

She was carrying 1,316 passengers and a crew of 891. 这里用 she was carrying 而不是 she carried, 旨在像讲故事一样叙述.

crew 全体船员.

a crew of 891 (全体)891名船员.

even by modern standards 即使用现代标准来衡量.

46,000 ton Titanic 46,000吨的"泰坦尼克"号.

colossal 庞大的.

译: 1912年4月10日, 巨轮"泰坦尼克"号从南安普敦出发驶向纽约. 船上共有1316名乘客和891名船员. 即使用现代标准来衡量, 46000吨的"泰坦尼克"号依旧算得上是巨轮.

3. At that time, however, she was not only the largest ship that had ever been built, but was regarded as unsinkable, for she had sixteen watertight compartments.

at that time 在那时.

the largest ship that had ever been built 有史以来建造过的最大的一艘船.

... was regarded as unsinkable (在那时)被认为是不会沉没的.

watertight compartments (不漏水的)密封舱.

译: 然而在那时, 她不仅是有史以来建造过的最大的一艘船, 而且被认为是不会沉没的, 因为她有16个密封舱.

4. Even if two of these were flooded, she would still be able to float. The tragic sinking of this great liner will always be remembered, for she went down on her first voyage with heavy loss of life.

even if 可理解为"就算". (even if 引导让步状语从句)

would still be able to float 仍有能力在水面上漂浮. 注意 would 与 if 引导的条件状语从句中 were 的时态对应关系.

这里针对上面的时态对应问题再给出一个例句: 

In times of peaces, when business was bad ,Hawkwood and his men would march into a city-state and, after burning down a few farms, would offter to go away if protection money was paid to them.  

这句话描述的事情显然是发生在过去的, 要仔细学习was - would这种表达方式. 

the tragic sinking of this great liner 这艘巨轮的沉没惨剧.

voyage (海上)航行.

went down on her first voyage 首航即沉没.

heavy loss of life 重大人员伤亡.

译: 就算16个密封舱中的2个进水, 她也仍(有能力)能在水面上漂浮.  因为她首航就沉没并造成重大人员伤亡, 所以这艘巨轮的沉没惨剧将会被永远铭记.

5. Four days after setting out, while the Titanic was sailing across the icy waters of the North Atlantic, a huge iceberg was suddenly spotted by a lookout. After the alarm had been given, the great ship turned sharply to avoid a direct collision.

set out 出发.

four days after setting out 出发四天后.

the icy waters of the North Atlantic 北大西洋冰冷的海域.

sail across the icy waters of the North Atlantic 在北大西洋冰冷的海面上航行.

a huge iceberg 一座大冰山.

spot 发现(和背景不太一样的点).

lookout 瞭望员.

the alarm (前方有冰山的)警报.

turn sharply 急转弯.

avoid a direct collision 避免直接(正面)碰撞.

译: 出发四天后, "泰坦尼克"号正行驶在北大西洋冰冷的海面上, 瞭望员突然发现了一座大冰山. 在警报响起后, 这艘巨轮急转弯以避免与冰山正面碰撞.

6. The Titanic turned just in time, narrowly missing the immense wall of ice which rose over 100 feet out of the water beside her.

just in time 恰好及时.

the immense wall of ice 一面巨大的冰墙.

rise over 100 feet out of the water 高出海面100英尺.

beside her 在她旁边.

the immense wall of ice which rose over 100 feet out of the water beside her 她旁边高出水面100英尺的巨大冰墙.

narrowly miss... 险些碰到......, 勉强躲开......, 差一点就......

narrowly missing the immense wall of ice which rose over 100 feet out of the water beside her 为结果状语.

译: "泰坦尼克"号拐弯恰好及时,  紧贴着她旁边高出水面100英尺的巨大冰墙擦了过去.

7. Suddenly, there was a slight trembling sound from below, and the captain went down to see what had happened.

slight 轻微的.

tremble 震颤.

a slight trembling sound 一声轻微的颤音.

from below 从下面传来.

突然, 一声轻微的颤音从船舱下面传来, 船长走下船去一探究竟.

8. The noise had been so faint that no one thought that the ship had been damaged.

faint 微弱的.

the noise had been so faint / the ship had been damaged 两处均使用了过去完成时, 这是相对于 no one thought 这个过去时间节点而言的. 三个动作的时间先后顺序为 船被损坏 -> 微弱声音产生 -> 没有人察觉.

译: 这声音十分微弱, 没有人想到轮船已经损坏.

9. Below, the captain realized to his horror that the Titanic was sinking rapidly, for five of her sixteen watertight compartments had already been flooded.

realize 意识到.

to his horror 惊恐地.

the Titanic was sinking rapidly "泰坦尼克"号正在快速地下沉.

在 for 引导的原因状语从句中, 谓语动词的时态为过去完成时, 这是因为"16个密封舱中的5个进水"发生在" '泰坦尼克' 号快速下沉"之前, 即"16个密封舱中的5个进水"发生在过去的过去, 所以用过去完成时描述这个动作.

译: 在下面, 船长惊恐地意识到, "泰坦尼克"号正在快速地下沉, 16个密封舱中的5个已经进水.

10. The order to abandon ship was given and hundreds of people plunged into the icy water. As there were not enough lifeboats for everybody, 1,500 lives were lost.

the order to abandon ship 放弃轮船的命令.

plunge into the icy water 跳入冰冷的海水中.

as 引导原因状语从句, 意为"由于".

1,500 lives were lost 1500人丧生.

译: 船长发出弃船的命令, 成百上千的人跳进冰冷的海水中. 由于没有足够的救生船运载所有乘客, 1500人因此丧生.